somethings gotta give
by MakatoMai
Summary: because back then she was just Jade, with no freaking & attached.


somethings got to give

The first person Andre meets at Hollywood Arts is Jade.

He remembers the day to scary accuracy and curses himself that he cant remember how he met Cat, or even Robbie. He scrunches his face as he tries to remember red velvet hair or a curly haired boy caring a large wooden puppet- and all he sees is a girl in a black shirt with lace sleeves, and dark eyes filled with something he just _cant _put his finger on.

"First year here too?" he asks bounding up to the dark teenager (because everyone else is sugar and rainbows and she sticks out like a sore thumb)

She raises her pierced eyebrow and stares at him as if he has six heads before flat lining with a "Do I _look _like I want to talk to you?"

Its blunt and to the point, and somehow he expected something bitter to come out of her so it doesn't really phase him.

"Well. Nobody else is." Andre shoots back with a smile before offering her a copper hand, "Andre Harris"

He watches her contemplate the gesture before awkwardly grabbing his hand in a firm (and almost kind of threatening grasp) "Jade West."

Its far from the beginning to any love story, but the memories burned a whole in Andre's brain so big that he has to force himself to focus on the memories of wooden pianos, nail piercing screeching (what Trina calls singing) and Tori Vega. Because Tori Vega has always been the safer choice.

XxX

He's watching them as they eat lunch and he knows their hands are intertwined underneath the table, her fingernails probably biting into Beck's tanned skin. He doesn't know why he's always been so repulsed by their perfect opposite yin and yang bullshit. (_its not like he's jealous of it, its not like he'd ever want something like that, someone like her. No.)_

(And than there's an image of black painted nails digging into dark skin, and soft lips pressed against his and _oh god_)

He turns his attention to Tori as she sits down next to him. She's always been the perfect distraction from Jade&Beck and Beck&Jade. He smiles. He almost means it.

XxX

Its not that he's in denial that Jade West was his first kiss. He remembers the moment quite well, though how it ended up that way has always been kind of fussy. It was after they had met Cat and Robbie, it was before Beck magically appeared (just like Tori, isn't that ironic?) He remembers they were suppose to be doing something (what were they suppose to be doing?) when she pulled him into the abandoned auditorium.

"I want to show you something."

And not because they were friends (always&only), but because she was Jade- he listened. Because back then she was just Jade, with no freaking and attached. She climbed up the steps to the auditorium before crossing back behind the curtains and up to the second level where you would operate the lights.

"Hurry up."

He was sure it wasn't intentional, but he quickened his pace as she led him to the end of the walkway and pulled a drawl string up to an attic.( _how was that even possible?) _as a set of dusty stairs appeared in front of them.

And that's when he saw it. A beautiful classic but somewhat dusty and oh so terribly _lonely _piano. He momentarily forgot about Jade as he sat down at the bench, it creaked beneath his weight but it seemed to hold, as he tentatively began to run his fingers over the keys.

"How on earth is this thing still tuned?"

"Eh. doesn't matter."

(and he knew it was her)

That's probably when Andre Harris kissed her. That's probably when he stood up grabbed her wrists (because this was Jade and she would hit him) and he kissed her (and she _let him) _

XxX

Tori asks him out later that day, with a pink face and perfect smile, and he _of course _says yes. And when Jade gives him a once over as he walks past her with his hand intertwined with Tori's, she rolls her eyes and walks away.

He _almost_ feels satisfied.

XxX

"Hey" her voice is low and quiet and harsh (as always), even though there's nobody at the table besides him.

And because its Jade. He turns his attention to her and tries not to feel whipped because (she has Beck and he has Tori, and there never will be a Jade&Andre)

"Are you happy with her?" Jade says, and her blue eyes look so serious and so intent, he wants to say something that will make her look away- and instead does the honor and stares down at his mac and cheese.

His mouth says "yes." but he really means no.

XxX

He writes a song and calls it Trading Tomorrow

He crumples it up because it sounds to much like Jade.

(But sparkles and glitter doesn't make for good music like black nails and harsh words)

XxX

He tells himself its just a crush. An infatuation. That he needs to let go of what never was (and what never will be), he turns to Tori and smiles so he doesn't have to see Jades arms wrapped around Beck's neck. He can learn to love glitter, rainbows, and _soft _just like everyone else right?

_Right?_

* * *

A/N: I needed a break from my long-ass angsty bade one-shot, so I hope you enjoyed this! && yes grammar Nazis, I'm sure I have a thousand errors and misspells. One day I will take time to edit, I promise. Until than, bare with me?


End file.
